Two Islamic Jihad activists were shot dead Wednesday morning by Israeli forces near the West Bank city of Jenin. The two fighters, identified as Salah Salah Sawafta 23, and Husam al-Issa 30, were killed as they tried to flee a building surrounded by the Israeli forces in the village of Silat al-Hartiya, west of Jenin, media reports have indicated.

Palestinian security officials said the force entered the village and surrounded a house, waging a gunbattle with the Islamic Jihad fighters barricaded inside.

Islamic Jihad announced over mosque loudspeakers around the northern West Bank that the two men were members of its armed wing.

Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces arrested on Wednesday seven Palestinians, including an official from the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, security and local sources said. They added that Assistant Deputy Minister, Ahmed al-Atawna 33, of Beit Kahel town, south of Hebron, was arrested and taken into an unknown location.